LANDCRUISER 300 SERIES COMING IN AUGUST

V8 engine ditched for modern twin turbo V6 petrol/ electric hybrid…

Photo: Best Car Web.

So, the flagship Toyota offroader, the 200 Series LandCruiser, is getting a little long in the tooth, that much we know.

Heading up Toyota’s offroad fleet since 2007, it’s been 13 long years since the King Off the Road has received a major overhaul.

Long enough for the mighty 200 Series to have garnered a dedicated following around the country, and for the gutsy 1VD-FTV twin turbo V8 diesel powerplant to have thoroughly endeared itself to long range tourers, 4WDers and towing enthusiasts alike.

Indeed, Toyota’s very first diesel V8 has enjoyed a long tenure as the top shelf offering for all manner of outdoor enthusiasts, but all that looks set to change.

Fresh reporting from Japan’s Best Car Web highlights several new details, including claims that the 300 Series will be built upon a ladder frame Toyota TNGA platform and, more controversially, that the trusty diesel V8 is set to get the flick.

Like most automakers, Toyota has been staring down the barrel of Euro 6D emissions standards, which no doubt has a bearing on engine development and implementation across the board.

The pressure across the motoring industry is to downsize engine capacity and turbo-charge to increase output and efficiency.

Japanese media are confirming that the 300 series LandCruiser will come equipped with a 3.6L hybrid petrol/ electric powertrain that’s set to output some 220kW and 356Nm, and that the next-gen LandCruiser will be unveiled in August of this year.

This in line with previous claims from top Toyota brass that the corporation intends to offer a hybrid engine option for every vehicle in their lineup by 2025.

Of most interest to Aussie offroaders will be the glaring lack of reportage on any diesel offering thus far…

Surely the Australian arm of Toyota would be bracing for much hullaballoo if the flagship LandCruiser were to go the way of the Y62 Patrol.

Toyota Australia have remained tight-lipped on the subject, as is standard in the lead up to a highly anticipated vehicle launch.

“We cannot confirm at what stage of development any future models of the Landcruiser model are at,” said a spokesman for Toyota, when approached for comment.

“This includes introduction timing, engine availability or whether a hybrid drivetrain is likely to be available.

“We can confirm however that whatever powertrain is chosen for any upcoming LandCruiser, we will work hard to deliver on the power, efficiency, reliability and trustworthiness that our customers have become familiar with in the current generation model.”

Interestingly, in the timeline of the 200 Series LandCruiser’s phase-out, Toyota canned the 4.6L Petrol V8 engine offering in mid 2019, leaving the far more popular 4.5L turbo diesel V8 as the only option for runout 200 Series buyers.

A move which points to that fact that the local arm of Toyota is obviously cognizant of the embedded Australian diesel culture.

Sales of the 200 Series alone cement the Australian market as the second largest globally, behind the more petrol-centric Middle Eastern sector.

Toyota Australia has plenty of market savvy and a history of tailoring their range to suit local needs and tastes.

The most noteworthy takeaways so far are the seemingly imminent scrapping of any V8 option, the introduction of next generation hybrid electrified engine technology, and the marked silence with regard to any new diesel powertrain option.

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